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Mark Holgate on London

What’s on your ‘not-to-be-missed’ list this LFW and why?

With London you might as well start with A and work your way through to Z. For me, B is for Burberry Prorsum, C is for Christopher Kane, E is for Erdem, J is for Jonathan Saunders, M is for Meadham Kirchhoff…all absolutely unmissable to my mind. London is definitely the hardest city to deal with scheduling wise, because it is crammed into so few days, but it is also, honestly, the most rewarding, because you see so much that's new and good and inventive and sometimes a little sick and twisted. (Marques'Almeida, Lucas Nascimento, Simone Rocha, Sister by Sibling, Palmer/Harding and Christopher Raeburn – they all answer to at least some of that description.) Also, the diversity of the city's accessories is brilliant: Where else has the likes of Mulberry, Husam el Odeh, Manolo Blahnik, Smythson, Sophia Webster and Nasir Mazhar (who does the best presentations) all showing during the same week?

In three words, how would you describe London?

Don’t leave London without…

I had dinner with Erdem Morolioglu recently, and he astutely said that basically London is like a compass – North, East, West, South – and since the needle is pointed firmly eastwards right now, I guess I would say make sure you go there: to a gallery (I am looking forward to seeing Stuart Shave's new Modern Art space in Clerkenwell when it opens; he has another outpost that's located in Fitzrovia, my favorite area in London, that's worth checking out); to a bookshop (Donlon Books); to a store(LN-CC); and, to a restaurant (I could eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at A Little Of What You Fancy, which seems to have an awful lot of what I fancy).

I have become obsessed with this style and photography vintage book store called November Books, that's run by this guy Paul Lawrence, which you can find at 7 Cecil Court, WC2. Paul has amazing taste and the most incredible things. I went there the last time I was in London and spent (in my head) $2032, give or take a dollar or two. But really, the honest answer, because there is so much on, and so much to do, is this: Trying to get some sleep.
Image Credit: Mark Holgate